


that's my bestfriend

by syugarbae



Category: VIXX
Genre: Alternate Universe - Sports, M/M, So oblivious it hurts, Swimmer Jung Taekwoon | Leo, Tennis player Lee Hongbin
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-06
Updated: 2018-01-06
Packaged: 2019-02-28 22:12:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13280910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/syugarbae/pseuds/syugarbae
Summary: friends to lovers au - lee jaehwan is so done with their pining games, but really, he was high-key enjoying and shipping the two idiots





	that's my bestfriend

**Author's Note:**

> pls don't hate me? 
> 
> i'm a hardcore fan of another bgroup, and writing this might offend some people, to starlights especially. but bear with me on this because i've always loved watching taekwoon and hongbin (and the rest of vixx), and shipping them makes me happy. i'm gonna go ahead and warn y'all that this fic might come off either slightly or majorly out of character, so if you can't handle that, it's okay not to proceed reading any further.
> 
> just a warning. in the first chapter there is a slur i use (once) and i'm not sure if i should put up warnings for that, but yeah, just a warning 
> 
> many thanks

It wasn't the first time seeing Taekwoon's fist connect with someone else's face, and it probably wouldn't be Hongbin's last time. 

 

Everything started when they were in middle school; Hongbin decided that lunch at the rooftop, and probably sneaking in a few minutes with his newly purchased Metroid Fusion, would be a great idea to kill some lunch time. Not 10 minutes into enjoying his lunch, Hongbin's peace was disturbed with the entrance of 6th grader Lee Jaehyuk and his 2 lackeys. 

"Well, well, well. If it isn't a little bunny. What's the bunny doing here? Oh look, the bunny has a game boy with him."

"I'm not a bunny." He snapped, giving them a dirty look.

"And, the bunny talks!" Lee Jaehyuk roared, and they laughed aloud as Hongbin tried to find his escape route among them. 

"Leave me alone!"

"Are you ordering us around?!" One of his lackeys challenged Hongbin, eyebrows almost connecting. The uni-brow situation would have been comical if not for the fact that Hongbin's about to get his ass busted for the first time in his life. 

They closed in on him, cutting off his view. Hongbin gritted his teeth, screwing his eyes shut as he waits for the first blow. 

A sudden rush of air blew past Hongbin, a loud thump on the ground next to him as Hongbin flinched in his place and his eyes widened at the person who landed next to him. The other boy rose to his feet with practiced ease. Albeit standing a little bit hunched, Hongbin noted on the other's height. 

"'Hell's going on?" For someone with a menacing glare and chilling presence, Hongbin didn't expect an almost sweet, light tenor to this stranger’s voice. 

"Jung Taekwoon, fancy seeing you here! You with bunny here?" Jung Taekwoon visibly flinched when Jaehyuk pat him on the shoulder. "If he's not, then you better scram."

Hongbin's heart was pacing wild. He didn't want to involve anyone else in this situation. Before Hongbin could even say a word, a fist flew from Taekwoon and it landed with a loud crack, Hongbin wincing at the other's pain. 

"Leave, you shitheads," Taekwoon muttered under his breath, fist and stance ready to strike again. 

Lee Jaehyuk was on the ground, bleeding on his nose evident of the crack Hongbin heard seconds ago. Lackey 1 and 2 scrambled on their feet to pick up the fallen leader among them and made no more sound but defeated cursing and promises to get Taekwoon back. 

Once the rooftop door closed with a loud bang, Hongbin felt shiver run up his spine, tension still lingering in place, when Jung Taekwoon turned to look at him. His face twitched in pain as he released his fisted hand. "Ugh."

"I'm so sorry. I'm sorry. I'm Lee Hongbin from class 3-2. Thank you for saving me!" Hongbin bowed deep, repeatedly for safety measures. 

There was no reply from the other student and Hongbin looked up to see Taekwoon's dull expression. "Can't you punch?"

Hongbin couldn't recognize it if it was a trap, a threat or really, an honest question because this dude, Jung Taekwoon sounded the same every time he spoke. Hongbin stepped forward, decreasing their distance. At least, one is better than three, he thought. He took a deep breath and socked Jung Taekwoon on his gut. Jung Taekwoon staggered a few steps back, a muscle in his jaw twitched as he fell flat on his ass. Taekwoon scoffed and Hongbin felt like jumping from the 3rd floor to save himself. Taekwoon got up, cracking his fingers. 

Hongbin blanched as Taekwoon's long strides made his way. He shrunk into himself, knowing the impending doom coming his way. His hair felt the ruffle from a large hand and Hongbin's eyes snapped open. 

And, that was how Hongbin made his first best friend. 

 

Hongbin was on court, in the middle of a match. He was sprinting forward, aiming for a drive volley on the next shot when a commotion on the left side of the bleachers caught his attention. Assuming from the current situation; Taekwoon was definitely not into making a new friend with one of the spectators who sat behind him on the bleachers. Jung Taekwoon was out for blood and Hongbin knew it before another punch landed on the other guy. 

Distracted by Taekwoon’s actions, Hongbin lost the point and it set him back all throughout the game that he lost his match. That was his one chance to get into the competing team aiming for the nationals, but really, it was all Taekwoon’s fault and, oh, he was ready to berate the other guy when he gets back to their dorm room. 

Hongbin was stopped in his tracks when his boyfriend stepped out from the double doors heading to the hostel. 

“Kyungsoo, you’re here!” He wanted to hug his boyfriend, but he only settled for a smile. Hongbin was touching no one with sweat clinging on his own body. 

“Yeah, I’ve been here since the starting of your game,” there was something oddly neutral in the way Kyungsoo mentioned it. 

“It was too bad that I couldn’t win the match. Taekwoon really had to actually punch someone during my match of all time,” Hongbin sighed at the thought again. 

There was a small smirk on Kyungsoo’s lips, borderline disturbing Hongbin’s focus because it was only reserved for Kyungsoo’s Eureka moments. 

“That’s unfortunate. I’m sorry that you lost. It was an important match for you. I’m sure there are more chances for you in the future, Hongbin-ah.” Kyungsoo lowered his head, took a deep breath, then raised it only to give Hongbin a smile so serene, it was scaring him. “Listen, Hongbin. Everything has been great with you. I’m glad that we got to spend time together this year, and we both achieved something; you’re in the back up squad, soon going for the main and I’ve been getting a couple of championship titles. Hyundai even offered to sponsor me to go pro, so I’ll have to train elsewhere when the contract’s signed.”

“Soo, that’s…that’s awesome! Congratulations! I’d hug you, but you know I hate skinship when I sweat, right?! But, oh my God! This is amazing!”

“Yeah, indeed it is! It’s okay. I know you’d hate that. But, here’s the thing. I’d have to leave Seoul, Shinang and I hate the fact that I have to do this, but I don’t think our relationship could work with the distance.” 

There was a pause in their conversation. Realization dawned on Hongbin like a slap to the face; Kyungsoo is trying to end things with him, as he had experiences from the worst to the best break up lines, and Kyungsoo’s was probably the lengthiest and thought after. 

Hongbin forced a smile. He was not going to break in the middle of a crowd. “Well, if you say so,” Hongbin lifted his shoulder in a half shrug, “I’m glad that you told me instead of just packing up and never say a word about it, you know! Good luck getting on the pro league, Kyungsoo. I guess this is goodbye, then.”

Kyungsoo raised a hand for a shake, “I guess it is. It’s been nice knowing you, Hongbin. Good luck on your tennis too. Look forward to seeing you on the pro league as well!”

They shook hands, and Hongbin didn’t wait any longer to see Kyungsoo waving at him. He never waved back as he rushed his steps towards the hostel, pushing past strangers without a second glance, sorry muttered out of sorrow instead of politeness. At the bottom of the stairs, he bumped directly into a stranger, and Hongbin peered at the other person. 

Hongbin took in the sight of a poker-faced Taekwoon, and his knees wore out on him. Slumping against the dependable figure in his life, Hongbin felt the first rush of hot tear linger on his cheeks and his grip on Taekwoon’s shirt tightened. 

“Hey, everything okay? Are you hurt?” 

Hongbin forced another smile to his face and shook his head against the other’s chest. No one could really make Taekwoon say more than 3 words, but here he was; long, muscular arms enveloping Hongbin, face creasing with worry as he whispered soothing words of: “It’s okay, Bin. I got you. I’m here, Hongbin.”

Will Taekwoon ever know that he’s the only one Hongbin has. 

Will Jung Taekwoon ever know that Lee Hongbin is hopelessly in love with him and no one else?

 

 

Taekwoon was beyond pissed. If there is anyone who had any rights to talk shit about Lee Hongbin, it would be him and only him. 

Okay, so, what if Hongbin wasn’t in his top form on that day, and was down on the first set?

So, what if Hongbin wasn’t doing his best that day and the other younger player – Jung Hoseok, was it? – played way better than Hongbin even in the second set?

First, he was kicking on the back of Taekwoon’s seat. Second, this guy had no respect whatsoever during the match play and had the audacity to freaking sneeze during Hongbin’s serve. Also, who the fuck gave the dude sitting just above Taekwoon the permission to call his bestfriend _that_?

He turned around for the first time, but Taekwoon was ignored. The guy’s friend bowed in apology instead. He didn’t say a word, but Douchebag’s friend knew his douche of a friend was being rude. How do guys like that even have friends?

The second time Taekwoon turned around, Douchebag friend was no longer there, and he was facing the rude guy on his own. 

“What’s your problem, man?” 

But Taekwoon didn’t bother a reply. 

The guy was quiet for a while, and into Hongbin’s second set of the match, he laughed when Hongbin attempted a volley, only to miss it by a few seconds.

“Ha, fa-.” 

Taekwoon has had enough of this shit. He pushed himself up, earning stares and shouts of him to sit down but he was having none of it. 

“Take it back,” he cracked his neck.

“The fuck’s wrong with you, dude?”

“Take it back,” and really, Taekwoon wasn’t a fan of repeating himself. This dude had to be deaf or dumb, or both. 

“Why? That Hongbin dude’s a wuss, for sure. What the fuck is he even doing in tennis?” 

Definitely both. Deaf, dumb fuck.

Taekwoon grabbed the collar of the guy’s shirt and swung his fist against the smug smile. Everything seemed to quiet down to mere gasps and ragged breaths. 

“You’re the wimp’s boyfriend, huh?”

“Not your business,” while another fist made its way to shut the guy up.

Before he could land another one to the Douchebag’s nose, there were already people swarming around him, grabbing onto Taekwoon, pulling him and the stranger apart. It was a whole mess when they were carried out of the bleachers and both escorted away from the venue. 

Both the swim team and fencing team captains were called from their little ‘interaction’, and Taekwoon wasn’t about to back down from letting the other get away with it. 

Cha Hakyeon stared the fencing team captain down when the whole situation was explained, his anger was apparent with what caused Taekwoon to have a go at – now named Douchebag – Im Gyohoon. 

“Whatever Im Gyohoon said wouldn’t have settled nicely with anyone. I can see why Taekwoon was so mad; since your teammate used a slur on another student, I would have defended that person too,” Hakyeon glared at the fencing team captain. 

The other captain smirked, “yeah, but the person insulted did not complain, nor did anyone else around Gyohoon. At this point, we could make a report on Jung Taekwoon instead, and he’ll be the one suspended, and you know that better than anyone, Captain Cha.”

Hakyeon rested his hands on the table, as the fencing team captain leaned closer. 

“We could make it really bad for your star swimmer,” it was the last threat thrown in both their faces. “I heard that the national selection for the swim team is next month, and Jung Taekwoon is on the top of the list.”

Taekwoon stiffened in his seat, alarmed at the information although his glare never ceased from Im Gyohoon. What the fuck of a name is that? 

“Wouldn’t it be surprising that Taekwoon suddenly has an injury and dropped out of the selection?”

“You can’t do that!”

“And your teammate could have refrained himself from hurting our Gyohoon!”

Taekwoon got up and Im Gyohoon flinched. He almost scoffed at the reaction. “It’s fine, Hakyeon.”

“But, Taekwoon, we were training for that tournament! You can’t just drop out of it.”

“Or you could get down on your knees and apologize; simple as that. Or a discount, maybe a deep bow would do,” Captain Lee’s face brightened at the prospect of seeing the undefeated, no-shits-given Jung Taekwoon bow down to them. 

“Can’t you let it go-”

“I’m done here,” Taekwoon managed, “I’ll drop out.”

Hakyeon’s face contorted, and Taekwoon knew that the coach was going to whoop their asses. 

The fencing team captain snorted. “If that’s how it’s going to be, fine with us. Drop out of the selection, and we’re done.”

“Done.” He left the three of them, hoping that Hakyeon would make the best judgements for his life to not wait any longer around pests.

He was hoping to catch up to Hongbin’s match but as he was making his way towards the courts, Jung Hoseok and his friends were already celebrating his victory. From a distance away, he could see Hongbin. But there he was, with Do Kyungsoo. 

Do Kyungsoo; 1st year judo athlete, polite and well-mannered, a gentleman with high sense of chivalry that Hongbin undeniably fell for, has a dark side that everyone knows of especially at making death threats to his close friends, has an amazing voice, kind of cute when he doesn’t even realize that he was doing it, he’s witty and adorable when he eats.

And all this information coming from Hongbin who talks about Do Kyungsoo almost every single day. Taekwoon wondered what other things would Hongbin talk about tonight. He turned to leave, unlocking his phone when it started vibrating. 

Team Captain Cha: **Jung Taekwoon! PiCk uP yOuR PHonE oR d0 i nEed to uSe My sp0nGeB0b mEMe oN Y0u?!??!?!1!1!**

He picked it up after the 3rd miscall only to get more scolding from Hakyeon. 

It was pure coincidence that it was Hongbin who bumped into Taekwoon. Be it anyone else, they would have suffered a gaze that could combust a human being. Indeed, Taekwoon definitely sounded funnier in his head. 

He was about to reprimand the younger man but Hongbin stayed intact against him, fingers clutched on his shirt and Taekwoon could smell the sweat and olive scent from Hongbin’s hair when he stayed there, against Taekwoon’s chest. He prayed to God that Hongbin couldn’t hear the erratic counts his heart was beating to. Taekwoon asked if he was okay, if he was hurt. Did Hongbin injure himself during the match? Injury would be an athlete’s worst nightmare, that must have been the reason why the other was crying. 

He wrapped his arms tight around Hongbin, reassuring him that he’s not going anywhere. He knew that Hongbin hated hugging or any forms of touching when he was sweating but hearing the soft whimpers, Taekwoon shut himself up. Taekwoon pat Hongbin on his back.

It was easy to direct Hongbin when he was at that state. Taekwoon ushered him into the shower, and left while leaving a small gap on the door. He pushed their beds together, got his laptop ready, setting up I’m Sorry, I Love You. Stashing all the pillows he could get his hands on onto Hongbin’s side, Taekwoon grabbed a few energy bars and mineral water. Placing them on his side of the bed, Hongbin came out with a small ‘hyung’ and Taekwoon was already on his side with a towel in hand, coaxing Hongbin to sit on the bed as Taekwoon dry his hair. 

Hair dried and pyjama-ready, Hongbin has his head on Taekwoon’s lap as they watched the drama. In the middle of episode 4, Hongbin turned to face him and Taekwoon gave the younger man his full attention. Hongbin was ready to talk. 

“I lost the match.”

“It’s okay, Hongbin. You’ll do better next time.”

He pressed his lips together, fingers picking on a lint on the pillowcase. “Kyungsoo broke up with me.”

“That son of a-”

Worry overtook Hongbin’s features as he gripped Taekwoon’s hand hard. “No, it’s not his fault! It’s okay. He’s just going off to train somewhere far.”

“Want me to beat him up before he leaves?”

“You can’t beat everyone who makes me cry.”

Taekwoon didn’t reply, instead, he pushed a lock of hair away from Hongbin’s eyes.

“You were in a fight earlier. Did you get hurt?” Hongbin’s other free, outstretched hand stroke the side of his jaw. “You seem fine. What happened?”

Taekwoon didn’t push Hongbin’s fingers away, huffing, he looked back towards his laptop. “My laptop’s dying.” 

“Ah, you should have charged it earlier,” Hongbin pinched the patch of skin under Taekwoon’s chin.

“Ouch! Stop that.” 

Of course, Lee Hongbin is the only one who doesn’t listen, as the pinching pain came to him over and over again. 

“I told you, didn’t I, Hongbin? Stop doing that.”

“Or else, what? What could you possibly do to the weak and pretty little Hongbin?”

“Pretty?” Taekwoon glanced at the young man beneath him. “Come here you.” Taekwoon started tickling Hongbin, and boy, had any laughter sound as beautiful as Hongbin’s.

Hongbin curled into himself, his attempt at pushing Taekwoon’s hands failing every second as he shrieked and giggled for mercy. “God, have mercy!”

“I’m not God, Hongbinnie.”

“Taek-Taekwoon, stop, please.”

He was smiling at the other’s misery. “Why should I?”

The tickling lessened and Hongbin caught Taekwoon’s hands into his, fingers intertwining as Taekwoon felt the younger’s eyes on him; puffed up, glazed yet the tiny specks of brown apparent, the twinkling present despite his hidden sadness. Out of breath and still giggling, he tightened his hold on Taekwoon’s hands. 

Taekwoon shivered under Hongbin’s gaze. 

He read somewhere that his indescribable feelings are similar to Japanese koi no yokan; the initial spark someone would get when they see a person who they want to start something with, just like on the day he first met Hongbin at the rooftop. It moved on to Norwegian forelsket; that first feeling he got from falling for Hongbin, as if he was floating while Hongbin stargazed, as Taekwoon stared at the star beside him instead. Everything built up to a point of the French word la douleur exquise; this exquisite pain of an unrequited feelings.

Taekwoon was careful to let nothing slip. Even if cracks and pieces, Hongbin would never know of this one-sided affection born from years of friendship and trust. He could never go over that boundary. Hongbin was way too precious for Taekwoon to even hurt. Crossing a boundary would only lead to an unknown path. He couldn’t take that path. Even if –

Even if Jung Taekwoon was in love with his bestfriend, Lee Hongbin.


End file.
